If you are on Social Security, then you know that sometimes there’s a need to talk to the agency.  Maybe you’ve changed your address, or perhaps a spouse died and you needed to adjust your monthly payment.

But what happens if you need to talk to Social Security, but you aren’t competent to do so?  In that case, Social Security has a process by which someone can apply to be your “representative payee.”  That’s the equivalent of a power of attorney to the rest of us; Social Security chose to call it something else.  Usually a family member will be the person to apply to be your representative payee.

At the time when someone other than you needs to communicate with Social Security on your behalf, there is a process for that individual to be appointed as representative payee.  But now, while you are competent, you have the opportunity to at least tell Social Security who you would want that person to be, should you ever need a representative payee.  You can do that by logging into your my Social Security account, by telephone, in person, or in writing.

For more information on advance designation of a representative payee, please visit the Social Security website.

And if we can help you with any other advanced planning – like naming a durable power of attorney and health care proxy, creating a will and trust, or generally getting your ducks in a row – please reach out to our office.

– Alexis

If you are disabled according to Social Security Disability (SSDI) regulations, and if you have worked long enough to have contributed adequately to the Social Security system, then you are entited to SSDI, and after being on SSDI for two years, you are entitled to Medicare.

Getting qualified for SSDI can be a tough process, but SSDI does have a long list of conditions or illnesses considered to be so apparently disabling, that you don’t have to go through a lengthy process to prove you can’t work.  If you have one of these conditions or illnesses, the folks at SSDI know you can’t work and they fast-track your approval.

SSDI has been hard at work lately expanding the list of fast-track disabilities.  Just recently, they added thirty-five new conditions, bringing the total fast-track list to two hundred.  The most recognizable names from the new additions are Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Adult Onset Huntington Disease.

Check out the full list here to see if you may be able to fast track your SSDI application.

If you have tried to apply for SSDI, or if you are contemplating applying and have spoken to others about it, then you know it can be a long haul.  SSDI does have a fast-track application process for certain illnesses.  As of this month, they just added 52 more conditions to that list, which will certainly make things easier for at least some people who already have enough to deal with.

Review the entire list of Compassionate Allowances here.